Silencer



H. P. MAXIM.

SILENCER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18, 19!]- Patented Feb. 10,1920

.277 VE/7 far A f fbrhe i tionable noises created by the exhaust.

' virtually of disk form and UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM PERCY MAXIM, DIE-HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, AS SIGNOR TO THE'MAXIM.

SIIJENCER COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORATION OF. CON- NECTICUT.

SILENCER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10, 1920;

Application filed December 18, 1917. Serial No. 207,780.

T0 allwh om may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM Planer MAXIM,

a citizen of the United States, residing atnew and useful Improvements in Silencers,

of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to silencers. silencer involving the invention is obviously capable of general use, although it is of particular utility when used in conjunction with gas engines, such for illustration as are employed for the operation of automobiles. Among the several objects I have in view is the provision of an article of the character set forth, which is simple in construction,

assembled, and which is highl effective for eliminating as far as practica lo, the objec- In the-drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification I have shown in detail one convenient formof embodiment of the invention which will be set forth fully in the following description.

do not necessarily restrict myself to this disclosure; I may depart therefrom in many respects within the scope of the invention defined by scription.

Referring to said drawings:

- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a silencer embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 22 of Flg. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow, and

Fig. 3 is a detail view in perspective of a disk.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The silencer comprises in its organization a suitable body, the practically cylindrical shell or casing 2 answering satisfactorily in this respect. This shell. as shown has the ends 3 and 1 which in the present case are are set within the terminal portions of the body or shell 2. Said ends have peripheral outturned flanges 5 united by spot welding or otherwise to the body to thus produce close joints. 7

the claims' following said de- As I have already stated the appliance,

is especially intended for use in silenc1ng the exhaust of a hydrocarbon engine. The exhaust may be led into the silencer 1n wing 17.

various ways; For this purpose the head 3 is shown as having an inlet 6 in the form of a'short length of tubing adapted for slip or other suitable connection with the exhaust-pipe of an engine of the kind set forth. This tube as illustrated projects through a central opening 7 in' the disk 3 and is rolled over the wall of the opening 7 as at 8 onthe inner face of the end 3. The tube 6 also has an annular circumferential enlargement or bulge 6' fitted against the outer face of said end 3. The outlet ofthe silencer in like fashion may be of any desirable nature; that shown is designated by 9, being in the form of atube which is longitudinally tapered from its entering toward its discharge end. The butt portion of said discharge tube or nozzle 9 is fitted in a practically central .opening 10 in the head 4 and is turned over the wall of said opening 10 as denoted by 11. The silencer member which I have shown, is denoted in a general way by 12.and it is preferably spaced or separated from the inlet or receiving end of the silencer as to permit the free expansion of the exhaust gases before they strike the silencer member or .body 12. The silencer member or body 12 as represented comprises several units 14 which are in. theform of metal disks, it being understoodalso that the several parts already described are of inetal or other proper material. These units or disks 14 are radially slit as at 15 from their peripheries to and across their centers, the stock at opposite sides of the respective slits being oppositely deflected asat 16 and 17 to produce in effect Wings at opposite sides of the opening 21. The disks are set into the shell 95 '2 at the discharge end thereof and their can positively insure the lateral flow of the gases, so that in'passing through the silencer, they will definitely follow a spiral trend. It will be also observed that the rear wing of each plate or disk is in overlapped rela- 110 shown by 13. The space 13 is unobstructed i and 17 are in In view of this circumstance I tion with the forwardly extending wing of the plate back of it, that is in the line of flow of the gases. This is a further aid to the motive in view.

Said disks 14 are united together in any desirable manner, as by the bolts 18, there being as shown four of such bolts which are equidistantly spaced and which project through perforations in the head 4- and also through perforations inthe several dlsks, the threaded ends of the bolts or tie members 18 receiving nuts as 19 engaging against the initial disk 14. In addition to thisthe bolts also carry the tubes 20 interposed between the several units or disks 14 and also between the final disk and the end 4, this providing a convenient way of spacing the parts properly and formaintaining the same in proper rigid relation witheach other and with the casing.

The exhaust gases from the engine entering the silencer by way of the inlet tube 6 inltially pass into the free or open space 13, wherein they expand. They then strike the primary disk 14 and then the second disk and so on throughout the series, leaving the body 2 through the tapered or downturned discharge tube. The gases pass through the silencer in a spiral or serpentine path. On striking the first disk they escape through the first opening or orifice 21, by which they are diverted laterally and after passing through this first opening or orifice strike the second disk where they are further whirled, passing through the opening of the second disk and taking a lateral direction opposite the first, strike the third disk and so on throughout the series. As the gases pass through the respective orifices or openings 21 which jointly or collectively present a helical passage, those at and near the axes of the respective disks travel obviously a less distance than those farther away from the axes, the result being that the gases leave the discharge tube 9 gradually and in an attenuated stream.

The part 12 composed of the several plates or disks, and as I have also considered them units, presents in itself a unit, and this observation applies when said part 12 is associated with the end or closure member 4. This silencer element 12 made up of the connected plates or disks can be especially when operatively associated with the end or its equivalent 4, handled as an article of manufacture and therefore presents the-attributes of a unit.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the annexed drawings, it will be evident that a silencer embodying the invention, involves a case having an inlet and an outlet. In this case is situated silencing means between the inlet and the outlet, which comprises a number of units,

plates or disks in connection with mechanism for associating said plates to form an irregular passage between the inlet and the outlet. The first of these units or plates is spaced from the inlet a greater distance than that between the last of the units and the outlet to form an expansion chamber in which the gases are received before entering said irregular passage which is of such nature desirably to impart a rotary motion to the gases. It is of course not always necessary that these units or plates should touch the inner surface ofthe case. The units or plates are desirably connected only with the outer end head of the case. While the silencer is of course capable of general use it is especially adapted for connection with engines which use heavy oil. The exhaust of the heavy oil is first discharged into the chamber or space at the front end of the case. The heavy particles in the exhaust, are precipitated in this chamber and are prevented as far as practicable from entering the spiral or helical silencing passage so that the latter-is free to exercise its silencing function. Should these particles enter the passage in question they so clog and choke it as to' 'red'uce the efiiciency of the engine by causing back pressure. These particles are liquid, heavy and sooty. It will be also observed that-the spiral silencing passage presented jointly by the several units, plates or disks, is of smaller extent cross-sectionadjacent the slit being laterally oppositely spread to produce wings and being im-perforate where slit and the central portion of each disk across which the slit extends being imperforate except where slit.

2. A silencer com rising a body having an inlet and an out et, and a plurality of spaced disks in the body between the inlet and the outlet, touching the inner surface of the body and each disk being slit from the. periphery toward and across the center, the portions adjacent the slit being laterally oppositely spread to produce wings and being imperforate except where slit.

3. An article of manufacture for use in silencers comprising a plurality of disks cent the slit being spread oppositely to I produce wings and being imperforate except,

where slit.

4. An article of manufacture for use in silencerscomprising a plurality of rigidly connected disks spaced from each other, each disk being slit radially from the periphery toward and across the center, the portions adjacent the slit being spread oppositely to produce wings and being imperforate ex-,

cept where slit.

5. A silencer comprising a body having an inlet, and an outlet, and a plurality of spaced plates in the body between the inlet and the outlet, touching the inner surface of the body, each plate being slit from its periphery toward the center, the portions adjacent the slit being laterally oppositely spread to produce wings, the plates being imperforate except where slit, the wings of the respective plates being in overlapped relation.

6. A silencer comprising a body having an inlet and an outlet, and a plurality of spaced plates in the body between the inlet and the outlet touching the inner surface of the body, each plate being slit from its periphery toward and across its center, the portions adjacent the slit being laterally oppositely spread to produce wings, the wings of the respective plates being in overlapped contact, the plates being imperforate except where slit.

7. A silencer comprising a substantially cylindrical body, one end wall of which has an inlet tube and the other, end wall of which has a downwardly extending outlet tube, and a plurality of spaced. connected plates in the body between the inlet tube and the outlet tube, touching the inner surface of the body, each plate being slit from its periphery-toward and across its center, the portions adjacent the slit beinrr laterally oppositely spread to produce wings, the wings of the respective plates being in overlapped contact, the plates being imperforate except where slit,

8. An article of manufacture for use in silencers, comprising a plurality of disks spaced apart from each other and rigidly connected, each diskbeing slit-from the pe- 10. An article of manufacture for use in otherwise I silencers comprisin a plurality of disks spaced from each ot er and rigidly connected, each disk being slit from the periphery toward the center, the portions adjacent the slit being spread oppositely to produce wings which are united with each other to form a spiral passage at least the first of the disks being otherwise imperforate.

11. An article of manufacture for use in silencers comprising a plurality of rigidlyconnected plates spaced from each other each plate being slit radially from the periphery toward the center thereof, and'spread oppositely to produce wings rigidly connected respectively with each other the central portions of the plates except where slit being imperforate.

12. A silencer comprising a plurality of units in the case in the form of plates, the

plates having means associated therewith to form a spiral duct to convey exhaust gases, and the duct being of less cross sectional extent than its length atleast the first unit except for said duct being imperforate.

13. A silencer comprising a case, a plurality of units in the case in the formof plates,

the plates having means associated therewith to form a spiral duct to convey exhaust gases, the duct being of less cross sectional extent than its length, and the duct being of angular form in cross section, the first plate except for said duct being imperfo-v rate.

14. A silencer involving a case having an.

inlet and an outlet, silencing means in the case, between the inlet and the outlet, comprising a number of units and bolts for con-,

necting said units to form a spiral passage between the inlet and the outlet the bolts being connected only with the outlet end of the case, the first/of the units being spaced from the inlet end a distance such as to form an expansion chamber in which the gases are received before enterlng said passage.

15. A silencer comprislng a case having, an

inlet and an outlet, silencing means in the I case, comprising a plurality of distinct members, and meansfor rigidly connecting the members to each other and to the case, the silencing means having a spiral duct to convey exhaust gases, the duct being of less cross sectional extent than its length, that part of the silencing means next the inlet being imperforate except for said duct.

16-. An article of manufacture for use in silencers, comprising a plurality of rigidly connected plates spaced from each other each plate being slit radially from the periphery toward the center thereof, the portions adjacent the slit being spread oppositely to pro duce wings the central portions of the plates except where slit being imperforate.

17. A silencer comprising a case having an inlet and an outlet respectively in the ends thereof, silencing means in the case,

having a spiral passage for conducting the gases from the inlet to the outlet, and bolts connecting the silencing means solely with the outlet end of the case.

18. A silencer comprising a case'having an inlet and an outlet respectively in the ends thereof, silencing means in the case having a spiral passage for conducting the gases from the inlet to the outlet, and means for positively connecting the silencing means solely with the outlet end'of the case, at a plurality of places.

19. A silencer comprising a case having an inlet and an outlet respectively in the ends thereof, silencing means in the case having a spiral passage for conducting the gases from the inlet to the outlet, the len h of the passage being greaterthan its wi th, and means for connecting the silencing means solely and positively with the outlet end of'the case, at a plurality of places, the space between the inlet end of the case and the silencing means being greater than that between opposite ends of the silencing means and the outlet end of the case.

In testimony whereof I aflix my in the presence of two witnesses.

M. H. HArsLER, M. A. FAHEY.

signature 

